Simply Believe
Notes
Transcript
Some time the answer is easier than we want to believe
This is a battle in our Christian walk
It is not church attendance, or reading plans, or small groups, not a denomination or a belief system or living a “good” life.
that saves you.
Those are some of the things that GROW you
Saving is the Work of Christ alone
Growing others is our place and purpose in the kingdom.
We are called to simply believe
Lets pray — teach us today our Lord
____________
i remember getting a call years ago about a staff members computer not working.
I ask them simply questions, and they were getting more and more frustrated.
their hard drive crash
their computer is old
they lost everything
the screen didn’t work
they need a new one asap.
Finally i went down to their office to offer help.
I quickly noticed that the power strip from the wall did not have a light shining on the red on off switch.
One click, one fixed computer
_____________
Some times it is SIMPLE
when everything is going wrong and you are crying out.
belief in Christ, faith in HIM alone is what turns the LIGHT ON.
This is our story today..... turn to
John 4:43-54
John 4:43-54
Back to Cana
Back to Cana
John 4:43–45
(ESV)
43 After the two days he departed for Galilee.
44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.)
45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.
So we remember that last week the woman at the well
went and told the others in her village about Jesus
many BELIEVED in Him because of her testimony
Jesus than spends two days in the village
and Jesus teaches and MANY MORE BELIEVE.
and the People of the Village KNOW that
Jesus is the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.
As we open up your WORD today
We will seek to enforce that
we must SIMPLY BELIEVE TO TURN THE POWER ON
John’s purpose in this Gospel was not just to bring people to saving faith,
but to increase the faith they already had,
to teach Jesus’ followers
to believe in such a way that they could live life abundantly ( producing fruit)
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Jesus has just performed a Spiritual Harvest
Jesus interacted with the woman - She believed
the woman went and told others - more believed
because of her many came to see Jesus and EVEN MORE BELIEVED
i love the fact that JESUS TRANSCENDED the
traditions and BIAS of the WORLD
the people of the town — or a least many of them
Looked beyond and saw the Light of the World.
they came they saw they heard and they BELIEVED.
The Word is Moving
The Word is Moving
Jesus arrives back in Galilee
He walks past Nazareth where He grew up and back to Cana
the wine festival is over and a man visits with Christ.
46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill.
47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
The official has walked about 25 miles to meet with Jesus.
Now remember they didn’t have FB or texting or even a TV for news
so the message of Jesus traveled by word of mouth.
This must be a DIVINE encounter, for how would this man know that Jesus is coming back north.
The interaction with this official likely start due to the wedding and the wine.
A Lesson in Faith
A Lesson in Faith
This official was likely at his wits end, desperate
different translation use words like
Implored Christ (NASB95),
Begged Christ(NIV)
His child was dying and he desired to help his son.
I believe that these verses are written
so that HOPE in Jesus, can Turn into Believe in Jesus.
The official had heard of Jesus
so he HOPED in Jesus
likely wanted to believe that Jesus could bring a healing work from God.
His intentions were of healing through this prophet of God
John 4:48–50 (ESV)
48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.”
49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.
this man did not on the journey to Cana in Galilee go to seek the Savior
The YOU here is plural
--- Jesus is likely calling out the people gathered
the Lookie Lous
the people that came to see a SHOW and not see the Saviour
we have a PROBLEM with the same thing today.
We should come to hear the WORD,
not be entertained by the Wonder of Man.
Yet in this call out there is clarity.
There is answer SIMPLY BELIEVE
come to me for help,
for healing,
for Faith is the answer
Jesus calls the crowd out, but the official sees the opportunity to talk with Christ directly.
Then just as quick
as that Jesus heals,
there is no work involved on the officials part.
no mention
or intent of GO DO THIS to Get THAT. That is not the way of Christ Followers.
We must learn to trust and obey.
Yet we can......
SIMPLY BELIEVE
like the official
He was seeking Healing for His Son
He was desperate for an solution
He must be in the state of “there is nothing i can do..”
and recieved the healing and the Savior
What did it take for your Faith in Christ Jesus to happen?
What did it take for you
to SIMPLY BELIEVE?
What is your story of coming to Christ?
did you come on the witness of another?
Did you come because of hearing the Word?
or did you come to Christ because you had a situation that broke you, that made you realize that you needed a Miracle.
The words to a Wonderful Song came to mind while preparing this message
The words from Third day - I need a miracle
at song about calling out to Christ
Well, late one night, she started to cry and thought he ain't coming home
She was tired of the lies, tired of the fight, but she didn't want to see him go
She fell on her knees and said, "I haven't prayed since I was young
But Lord above, I need a miracle"
Well, no matter who you are, and no matter what you've done
There will come a time when you can't make it on your own
And in your hour of desperation
Know you're not the only one, praying
Lord above, I need a miracle
I need a miracle
He lost his job and all he had in the fall of '09
Now he feared the worst, that he would lose his children and his wife
So he drove down deep into the woods and thought he'd end it all
And prayed, "Lord above, I need a miracle"
Well, no matter who you are, and no matter what you've done
There will come a time when you can't make it on your own
And in your hour of desperation
Know you're not the only one, praying
Lord above, I need a miracle
I need a miracle
Broken, hurting, sick --- Come to Jesus
Our message today is about a man that heard of Jesus
he was an official, likely had money and power BUT
his son was dying
He needed something beyond HIS control
He needed a miracle.
He learned to SIMPLY BELIEVE
SO HE CAME TO JESUS. He Simply came to Jesus
so what is your story of coming to Jesus
COMING TO JESUS
COMING TO JESUS
we have all likely heard that Jesus always answers
YES< NO < OR WAIT
we love the YES
dislike the NO
and struggle with the wait
Honestly this models our human nature as children
I want ice cream — YES — HAPPY
I want ice Cream — NO — SAD MAD Tantrum
I want ice cream — after you finish you meal --- grumble
We need to work on where we FOCUS
Yet we must keep in mind
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
our message today is just like that
a man was at the end of his ROPE
and needed GOD
He came from a days journey away
He ask Jesus to HEAL his son
Jesus addresses the crowd of Wonder Seekers
John 4:48 (ESV)
48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.”
The official seizes the opportunity
John 4:49 (ESV)
49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
and Jesus answers
John 4:50 (ESV)
50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.
The official heard of “a man” that could heal
We takes the journey and got an encounter with THE MAN
The official sees the opportunity
and states his need
and Jesus responds.... GO your son will live
THE RESPONSE of the Man is KEY
“the man believed”
simply believe
Our Christian Growth
Our Christian Growth
How are you doing in growing in this exact situation?
You have a problem
You bring it to Jesus
You remember Romans 8:28 and you know who Jesus IS
so do you respond with BELIEF
If so congratulations you are maturing as a IN CHRIST DAILY BELIEVER IN CHRIST JESUS.
I believe that every day that Christ
through the Holy Spirit inside of me
is AVAILABLE for me to COME to
that is not the issue in me
the issue in me will i fully belief
and then to i trust the result
John 4:51–52 (ESV)
51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering.
52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”
The man saw the result of the SPOKEN WORD of OUR LORD
Look at John 4:53-54
John 4:53–54 (ESV)
53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household.
54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.
Belief in Jesus is INFECTIOUS
the man came to Jesus
the man requested of Jesus
Jesus responded YES
the man likely had either doubt or anticipation
the official on his way home receives proof of JESUS work
Friends
we know that Jesus came to provide a saving route to the whole world
We saw it one on one with the disciples
We saw it in John the Baptist
We saw it in Nicodemus
we saw it at the woman at the well
and now in the official’s healed son
Jesus is GOD
Jesus is doing what is promised to you and me
TO LOVE AND CARE FOR YOU
You SIMPLY NEED TO COME
and
SIMPLY BELIEVE